Studies will continue on the molecular basis of the conjugation of aromatic carboxylic acids with amino acids. Enzymes termed acyl-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferases will be purified from the liver mitochondria of several mammalian species including primates. Substrate/inhibitor specificities of these enzymes will be determined. The mechanism of the reaction will be explored by several means including reaction kinetics, isolation of enzyme-bound intermediates and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Webster, Leslie T., Jr., Siddiqui, Usman A., Lucas, Samuel V., Strong, John M. and Mieyal, John J., "Identification of Separate Acyl-CoA: Glycine and Acyl-CoA:L-Glutamine N-Acyltransferase Activities in Mitochondrial Fractions from Liver of Rhesus Monkey and Man." J. Biol. Chem. 251, 3352-3358 (1976).